Surface-cleaning machine.



'ITo. 8'7l.93'7. PATENTED NOV. 26, 1907.

R. B. HNTCHISCN. SURFACE CLEANING MACHINE.

APELIOATION FILED DBO. D, 190.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

, #lNA,NNNNNNNNNN NNN NNN? fNo. 871,93*/1 PATENTBD Nov. 26, 1907.'

R. B. HUTGHISON.

SURFACE CLEANING MGHINE.

APPLICATION FILED DBO. a. 1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 3r Wygsses: @gol/CU.

ROBERT B. HUTCHISON, OF PIT'lSBUlttl, PllNNb'Yi/'ANLL SURFACE-CLEAN INGMACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 26, 1907.

Application liletl December 9. 1905. Serial No. 291.158.

fo all whomr t may concern.:

.Be it known that I, ltonER'r B. llu'rcinsoN, a citizen ol" the UnitedStates, residing at. Pittsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State ol'Pennsylvania, have invented certain ne and useful Improvements inSurface- `.(.1 waning Machines, of which the following is vfrom thelel't hand side ot' t he o ierator.

a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanyingdrawing, forming part of the speeilit-ation, in whiclr- Figure. l. is ayplait view of tny improved carpet sweeping machine, the cover and aportion ol' tite driving handle having been removed. Fig. 2. is alongitudinal vertical sectional view on the line11. 11. of Fig. 1. Fig.il. is a cross sectional view on the line 11i. lll. o1 F ig. 2. Fig. 4.is an cud view Fig. 5. isa sitnilar vienr from the ot ier cud showingthe manner ol mounting the adjustable supporting wheel. Fig. ti. is aperspective detail view of the l'raime at the end shown in Fig.I 5. Fig.7. is a vertical sectional detail view ofthe, same part of the machine.Fig.V 8. is n. detail view showing the framing construction andadjustable mounting of the whecbsupporting bar at the other end. Fig.t). is a detail view showing the manner of mounting the handle. Fig. 10.is a str;- tional detail view showing the construction of the pan at itspoints of engagement with the supporting fratrie.

My invention refers to improvements in power actuated surtace-cleaningmachines 'for the purpose ot' cleaning ca1'pets,tlt)o1s, or whe-rever itis desiralde to remove an aecumulation ot' dirt or dust or to renew theoriginal freshness or color of the surface.

The aplparatus comprisinr the invention is. 'particu arly adapte( to ccaning carpets or rugs ou the 'floor without removal and is designed tobe moved around the lloor by the. opcratorand to be actuated by a motorconstitutine a portion of the mechanism by which t c activey elements ofthe device are driven.

The apparatus'consists generally of the supporting frame mounted onrollers or Wheels, with a ower driven rotary brush d or equivalent ceaning device, preferably provided with ilexibly connected knockers, atnotorwliiclt is preferably an electric motor whereby it may be ilcxiblf connected with any suitable curreiit'supp y, a surrounding inelosingdust-containing easing, an operat 55 ing handle, cte. as shall be morel'nlly hereinafter described.

The present invention constitutes an improvement on a similar apparatustor which on July LTtli, ltltlll tiled an application l'or Letterslatent bea-ring the Ser. No. 215.51m, which was patented Feb'y 37,tt'ttt, .lo 513,557.

The present invention partieularlj.I refers to tbe construction ott themain l'rameworlt; to the manner ol mounting the rotating cleaning brushor other clement so as .o prt vide lor ready removal or insertion; thc

manner of mounting the supi'iorting wheel so as to provide l`o1adjustment of the bruslti carrying l'rame with rela-tion to the iloor;the removable collapsible handle, and other features more fullyhereinafter described.

lol'erring non' to the. dra\\.ings, 2 is a. part ot' the main frameworkadapted to support the motor and the connected parts ntadcin. U shapedl'orm ot' a single` bar set edgewi and )rovidetl with oppositelydeileeled te?" minalls il, 2%, provided with vertical slot-s e throughwhich, b means ol' tap bolts 5, the .3e wheel bar t5 may be adjust-ablysecured wi'tb` relation to the main trame '.Z. 'Flic bar l provided atnach outer ond with sngitmit-` wheels 7, 7, carried t`.l|ereiu by sindbolts o and haying rounded peripheries as shown, \\.'het'tli).' theywill more easilyl travel over the carpet or other surface andl'aeilitale tlc turning oi' the. machine.

llxtending outwardly at one sido ir'titbvav of the motor-carryingl'ranie. 2 is the brnsii 9&3 and cover supporting tramo which is rigidlyattached by bolts or rivets, or in any other suitable .manner to thcmiddle portion of the U-shap'ed bar 2, which frame consists oi c, doublebar construtirtion t), it), extending up ;l wardly troni tite attachmentwith the trarne 2 a stitlicient distance to )rovide space for the brush,then bent at rigilttf angles and enn tending outwardly as shown in Fig.2, tito upper bar t? being connected to the lower bar 1t) by rivets,'.'naking a. practically intc ai t Kgral construction oi great strengthand rigid ity. rlhe inner bar ttl is, as shown, bent (li-- agonall)v atthe right angled corner as shown at ll, thereby providing an anglobracket so 10E as to reinl'orce the construction at said point, makingit very still and nnyit-lding, while the upper bar t) cxtentls outwardlybeyond tetes the connection and detachment of a supplemental terminalportion 12 consisting oi a similar bar bent at right angles', attachedto the terminal 9 of bar 9 by tap bolts 13, by which the frame isrigidly secured in position. This supplemental frame 12 is shown morefnlly indetailin Figs. 6 and 7 and constitutes the outer end of theframe- Work by which the outer end of the brush is rotatably supported,While valso providing means for attachment of the outer su portin wheel14. This wheel issimilar to W eels 7 and is ordinarily located on thesame plane therewith. l

Frame 12 extends downwardly and is provided Witha journal bearing 15 forthe outer stud or pin 16 of brush roller 17, and it will be seen that byremoving frame 12 upon loosenlng bolts 13, the entire outer` bearing maybe removed, leaving the brush end free and unsupported. At its inner endthe brush is provided with a similar bearing stud 16 eX- tending throughthe corresponding journal bearing at said inner end of the frameandthrough the hub 18 of driven pinion 19, to

Y which it is removably secured by set screw 20,the mechanism beingactuated by the driving pinion 21 of motor 22 as will be readilyunderstood. Upon loosening set screw 20 the entire brush may bewithdrawn for cleaning or renewal or for the substitution ci a diieren'tbrush.

For' the purpose of preventing the fouling of the journals 1,6 and 16-bystrings, threads, etc. 1 have provided inclosing caps 23, 24, rigidlysecured respectivel at the inner sides oi' the fixed and removab ebearings, one of which caps 24 is more clearly shown in detail in Figs.6 and 7. These caps closely surround the ends of brush shaft 17 which ispreferably provided with terminal ferrules or collars 25 makin-g a neatiit within these ca is. By the construction just described it wil beseen that the frame may be taken apart and the brush removed very uicklyand as quickly and easily rie-assembled 26, 26, represent outersupplemental plates rigidly connected with the fixed and adjustableframes `respectively, providing between them and the main frames slots27 for the reception of the sheet metal of the covering pan 28. Theconstruction of this pan is similar generally tothe pan shown in myprior patent having dust receiving chambers 28 at each side of thebrush, also bear-- ing portions 29, 29, ada ted to rest upon the iloorwith inner upwar ly extending lianges 30, 3G, adar ted to retain thedust. The pan is provide with terminal vertical slots 31 Fig. l0, themetal at each side thereof being reinforced by bending back the metalitself as clearly shown at 32 at each side of the A ernaar slot, thusproviding rounded edges which play up and down at each side of thevertical solid bearings of the main and removable frames, below theslots 27. These slots 27 are of sufficient depthto engage the u per edgeofthe pan above the end slots 3], al owing for free play so that at alltimes the pan will rest upon the floor as the machine is moved aroundand will rise and fa'll independently of the frame in case of anyunevenness or variation in the floor, the pliability of the carpetfabric, etc.

The outer lower portion of bracket 12 is provided with a series ofthreaded holes 33 into which is tapped the inner end34 of a journal stud35 and having a shouldered enlargement on which is mounted the wheel 14.By this construction it will be seen that the wheel may be set atvarious distances upon the outer end ofthe frame with relation to thecenter of the brush spindle so that the distance of the brush from thefloor may be varied to take up the wear of the brush.

Attached to the front of the U shaped frame 2is a bracket 36 having lugs37 at each end, to which by a single bolt 38'the terminals 39, 39, ofthe handle are securedl in such a manner that the handle may be raisedat different elevations, or entirely removed from the machine. arebrought together at a point about midway of the entire length of thehandle,` as

shown at 40, providing closely adjacent terminals. Between theseterminals 40 is inserted the end 41 of the operating handle 42 providedwith grips 43, the terminal 4l being held by two bolts 44.' By thisconstruction the handle when extended as shown in Fig. 9 forms a rigidconstruction, and by removing one of the bolts 44 it may be foldedbackwardly upon the terminals i.) into comparatively small compass,thereby greatly facilitating the packing of the machine.

'lhe brush may be ol any suitable lorm or construction as shown in thedrawings and is preferably rovided with a series ol' llcxibly connectedeaters 45 of'the type shown and described in my former patent. 'lheentire apparatus is comparatively simple and cheap in. construction,very cllieient in opfralion, easily handled and will dislodge and removethe accumulated dust from the carpet in a thorough and ell'cctivo mannerand with a great saving of labor and expense.

What 1 claim is:

1. 1n a surface cleaning machine, the combination ol" a U shaped motorl'rame having front and back vertically adjustable wheels, a motormounted on said frame, a supplemental brush frame extending later- These.extremities 39 esf-y ally beyond said motor frame and having adownwardly extending detachable terminal,"

' mental frame, and gearing connecting the motor with the brush,substantially as set forth.

2. A surface cleaning machine rovided with a brush-supporting frame anhaving downwardly extending bearing portions at each end thereof,supplemental end plates mounted upon the outer end of each bearingportion with intervening slot-like openings, a rotating brush mounted insaid frame, supporting wheels for the frame, and a remov able sheetmetal cover in vertical sliding en gagement with said frame between saidouter bearing lportions and the supplemental plates, w rest upon thefloor surface irrespective of the position of the frame, substantiallyas set forth.

3. In a surface' cleaning machine, the combination of a U shaped motorframe having front and back vertically adjustable wheels, a motormounted on said frame, a supplemental brush frame extending laterallybeyond said motor frame and having a downwardly extending terminal, arotating brush mounted iii said supplemental frame, gearing connectingthe motor and brush, guiding plates located at each end of saidsupplemental frame providing inteivenin slot-like openings, and aremovable slotte( sheet metal cover in vertical sliding engagement withsaid frame and' guiding plates,

iereby the cover will continuallywhereby the cover will continually restupon the floor surface irrespective of the position of the frame,substantially as set forth.

4. .In a surface cleaning machine, the combination of a brush-supportingframe having downwardly extending bearing portions, a supplemental platefixed to one of said portions and havin a plurality of apertures atdifferent heig ts, a .journal stud adapted to be mounted in either ofsaid apertures, and a supporting wheel mounted on said stud, whereby thebrush may be vertically adjusted, substantially as sot forth.

5. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination of a U-shapcdframe provided with a vertically adjustable wheel supporting bar, Wheelspivotally mounted atv each end of said bar, a supplemental brushcarrying traine extending beyond said U- shaped frame and provided `witha detach-A

